MLB Player News

Buehler (elbow) struck out six over 4.2 shutout innings in a rehab start with Oklahoma City on Saturday.

Buehler yielded just two hits, didn't walk anyone and induced 12 whiffs on 65 pitches. He averaged 93.8 mph with his four-seamer, which is down 1.4 mph from what he averaged during the 2022 season prior to Tommy John surgery. Buehler is expected to make at least two more rehab starts before rejoining the Dodgers' rotation, and hopefully he'll rediscover a little more velocity between now and then.

Martinez gave up five runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out six over five innings in a no-decision against the Mets on Saturday.

Martinez looks antsy on the mound with his unique, fidgety setup, and he's made fantasy managers antsy so far with eight earned runs allowed on 14 hits through two starts (10 innings). While he doesn't have overpowering stuff, Martinez has a number of different offerings in his repertoire and is willing to challenge hitters in the strike zone. The Reds are expected to get Nick Lodolo (leg) back next week, which could push Andrew Abbott out of the rotation. Another option would be to transition Martinez to a long-relief/swingman role.

Major League Baseball officially listed Strasburg as retired Saturday.

Strasburg had been set to announce his retirement from professional baseball last September, but he nixed those plans why he and the Nationals continued to negotiate terms of the retirement. With Strasburg's retirement now official, he'll receive the entirety of the more than $100 million that remains on the seven-year, $245 million contract extension he signed in December 2019, though a portion of that money will be deferred, Andrew Golden of The Washington Post reports. The 35-year-old's career came to a premature end after he struggled to bounce back from the thoracic outlet syndrome surgery he underwent in July 2021, but he had a terrific run for Washington after being selected with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2029 First-Year Player Draft. Over parts of 13 seasons in the majors, Strasburg compiled 113 wins, a 3.24 ERA, and 1,723 strikeouts over 1,470 innings. Strasburg made three All-Star teams and was the World Series MVP in 2019 when the Nationals won their only title in franchise history.

Severino was charged with two runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks over five innings in a no-decision against the Reds on Saturday. He struck out seven.

A fielding error by second baseman Jeff McNeil led to the first run of the game, and Severino gave the Reds another run on a bases-loaded walk later in the same inning. However, he buckled down from there and left with a three-run lead, only for the bullpen to give it up. Severino has a 3.60 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 13:2 K:BB through two starts spanning 10 innings. A projected matchup in Atlanta next week dings his short-term outlook, but the veteran righty will be in the streaming conversation most weeks and should remain rostered in most fantasy leagues, especially in light of the rash of pitching injuries around the league.

Strider underwent an MRI on Saturday that revealed damage to the ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He will be further evaluated by Dr. Keith Meister in Arlington, Texas, at a date yet to be determined.

Strider reported discomfort in his right elbow after his second start of the season in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning win over Arizona, and the worst-case scenario seems to be unfolding for the 25-year-old. If Tommy John surgery is deemed necessary, it would be the second for Strider in his young career. He should be considered out indefinitely, with a move to the injured list likely before the weekend is out. Bryce Elder is a candidate to be called up from Triple-A Gwinnett to replace Strider in Atlanta's starting rotation.

The Brewers recalled Ashby from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday.

With Jakob Junis (shoulder) headed for the injured list, Ashby will come up from the minors and figures to fill the void in the Brewers' rotation. The 25-year-old lefty didn't pitch at all at the major-league level in 2023 as he worked his way back from a shoulder procedure, and he surrendered three runs across five innings during his first start in Triple-A.

Lewis was placed on the 7-day injured list at Double-A Wichita with a right shoulder impingement, TwinsDaily.com reports.

Lewis was named the Twins' Minor League Pitcher of the Year last season after going 9-4 with a 2.49 ERA and 118:33 K:BB in 101.1 IP between Low-A Fort Myers and High-A Cedar Rapids. It's not a good sign that his 2024 season is starting with an injury, though there are no details on the severity of the issue.

Means (forearm) will get the start for Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday against Charlotte, Steve Melewski of MASNSports.com reports.

Means struggled in his first rehab start Monday, giving up seven runs on six hits and a walk over just one inning. He'll look to have a bounce-back performance Saturday as he works through a left forearm strain that flared up at the start of spring training.

The Guardians placed Bieber (elbow) on the 15-day injured list Saturday.

Earlier Saturday, the Guardians announced that Bieber was diagnosed with ligament damage in his elbow following his second start of the season Tuesday in Seattle and will be headed for Tommy John surgery. Bieber will miss the rest of the season while he recovers from surgery and is set to miss a large portion of the 2025 campaign, an unfortunate development for the right-hander as he heads into free agency this winter. The Guardians will eventually move Bieber to the 60-day IL whenever the team decides it needs to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Peter Strzelecki was called up from Triple-A Columbus and will take Bieber's spot on the 26-man active roster and provide bullpen depth for now, but Strzelecki could be swapped out when Cleveland needs an arm to take Bieber's spot in the starting rotation.

The Guardians announced Saturday that Bieber will require season-ending Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL in his right elbow, Tom Withers of the Associated Press reports.

The season-ending injury is a devastating development for the Guardians and for Bieber, who was utterly dominant on the mound in his two starts this season, striking out 20 batters in 12 innings. However, he reportedly battled through pain in his elbow during outings March 28 in Oakland and Tuesday in Seattle, and reconstructive elbow surgery has since been recommended. Bieber will now miss the rest of the 2024 season and likely the start of the 2025 season, given that Tommy John surgery typically entails a 14-to-16-month recovery period.